Monday, September 30, 2013

1. Having a launch party is one of the funnest things to do, EVER.
2. People are awesome.

Guys, I can't even. The amount of support that came from so many different directions is mind boggling. Looking at all the pictures from the launch party brings back the overwhelming gratitude I felt standing in front of everyone, touched at all the people who came. :'o)

We started out the night with me talking about some insider secrets with the book. And then I got emotional thanking my husband and kids, my parents, and my writing group. (There was a photographer from a newspaper there to catch it all. The part where I turned to look back at my husband, all emotional and teary-eyed, is the photo they decided to use in their newspaper article. Now I know what I look like when I'm about to cry. When I saw the picture, I laughed and laughed and laughed for like half an hour! It's seriously the funniest picture ever. How do people not generally burst out laughing every time they see me about to cry?)

Here's a pic from the side you couldn't really see in the first pic.

And here's a pic of people filing in from the back, where you can kind of see the screen at the front where I did my presentation. When I was done speaking, we partied. :) For the kids, we had three stations set up-- one where they could make a necklace / key chain out of Shrinky Dinks, one where they could invent a creation out of toothpicks and mini marshmallows, and one where they could slingshot foam apples at bad guys (based off a scene in the book, and arguably the activity the kids had the most fun at). While the kids were going wild, the parents got in line, and I signed books like crazy. For over two hours. It was an incredible feeling.

About an hour and a half into the signing, the crowd cleared and I could see my line for the first time! Up until that point, my "line" mostly consisted of the wall of people in front of me.

At best count, about 500 people came. Once the room was filled, people watched from outside, just crowding around the open doors. I am so so so sorry to those of you who couldn't make it to the doors, and just had to leave. I wish I could've seen you! I really wish I could've seen everyone who came. But I'm not a big fan of standing in long lines, either. Also, I'm sorry we didn't bring several hundred more cookies. It's so hard to guess how many people will come. Or how skilled kids can be at making 500 cookies disappear in less than 10 minutes' time.

Oh! And I gave out raffle prizes! My five favorite chocolate bars for the adults, and five prize bags for the kidlets. I kind of love how they turned out. Here's the finished product:

Inside each one was a Sky Jumpers t-shirt...

A Sky Jumpers button....

Instead of a Dove bar, a Cliff Dive bar.... :)

Air Heads Xtremes, since Sky Jumping is pretty much an xtreme sport....

And my favorite: Bomb's Breath Mints. Get it? Hahaha! These crack me up every single time.

All in all? A pretty dang awesome night. Huge thanks to everyone who came and to everyone who helped!

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

That's so strange to say! Sky Jumpers releases today. Sky Jumpers releases today. Sky Jumpers releases today.You know how sometimes, you're in one state for so long that it feels like you're going to always be in that state? (Like how I'm always going to be 27. ;)) I've felt like I'm always going to be in the "I have a book coming out.... eventually" state and never the "I have a book out" state.

But guys. The day is here. And I am so thrilled! I'm excited for my baby to be out in the world, where she can be read! I'm excited that she's real and this story and these characters that have been such a part of my life are out there. Almost like they exist now in some non-corporeal yet still somehow real way.

I thought it might be fun to share some numbers, if for no other reason than I love numbers. (And pictures of numbers.)(Obviously.) Here we go!

Months to draft Sky Jumpers

Months to edit Sky Jumpers before getting an agent

Months to edit Sky Jumpers after getting an editor

Days from book deal to book release

Days Sky Jumpers was on sub before being bought by Random House

Rounds of edits Sky Jumpers went through in total

In regards to the packages that have landed on my doorstep in the last few weeks in preparation for my launch party and school visits....

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

I swear that I will get time to do non-Sky Jumpers posts soon! But that day isn't today. ;) Today, it's time for updates!

Website

I realized recently that I never told anyone about my website! (Perhaps because there's still a "Coming Soon" section that I had hoped to have time to finished before now, and I was waiting for extra time to come along. :))

But anyway, here it is! It's chock full of good stuff, even some fun Sky Jumpers extras. Just click on the image, or go to peggyeddleman.com.

Launch Party

I am lucky enough to live near a library filled with the most incredible, supportive librarians ever. I love it there. So that's where I am having my launch party! If you live in Utah, it's at the Pleasant Grove Library on Thursday, September 26, at 6:30 pm. I'm going to speak for a bit then start signing books, while activities are going on all around. And cookies! Yes! There will be cookies galore! I think it's going to be a ton of fun, and I'd love to have you there! The King's English Bookshop (an amazing indie bookstore) will be on hand with a truckload of books to sell. Speaking of The King's English....

Signed Copies

If you can't come to the launch party, but want a signed book, you can order it directly through The King's English. I'll sign it (and personalize it however you'd like), and then they'll mail it out to you! You can order by calling (801) 484-9100, or email them at books@kingsenglish.com. I'm also doing a signing at their bookstore (1511 South 1500 East Salt Lake City, UT) on Friday, October 4 at 6:00 pm.

There's a LOT of things to worry about around a launch. I've got to say that school assemblies take home the trophy. Guys, I am visiting 9 schools in 5 days (three days right before my launch and two days right before my SLC signing), giving presentations to auditoriums full of 3rd-6th graders. All I have to say is that if you have any extra good vibes hanging around and want to send them my way, I won't protest. :) :)

And if you haven't gotten a chance to check it out, my blog tour is going steady, with lots of interviews with creative questions, and several giveaways! You can find the blog tour stops here.

Whew! That's more than enough about me. What's been going on with you? Anything new?

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

I don't know if I've mentioned this before, by my publicist, Nicole, is incredible. She hooked me up with some incredible sites for my blog tour, and most of them are hosting GIVEAWAYS! (Like the one from Monday at the Mixed-up Files where a simple comment gets you entered, or the one from today at Taffy's Candy.) A lot of them include interviews, and they asked some really fun and unique questions.

I just figured out that from book deal to release date, it will be 678 days. 678 days, and only 13 of them are left! I feel like I should be making a paper chain or something to count down the remaining days.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

I have been dying to show you my book trailer. DYING. We filmed this baby clear back in June of 2012. So yes, a full 15 months ago. It was all cut and edited by the amazing filmographer Isaac Nordlund last August. Then the incredible Phoebe North took the footage and added the titles and title effects earlier this year. Put it all together, and it made something I'm absolutely in love with. I hope you love it, too.

I write action / adventure books for middle grade readers, and I'm represented by Sara Crowe of Pippin Properties. I have two books released-- SKY JUMPERS and THE FORBIDDEN FLATS (both action / adventure, for ages 8 and up, with Random House Children's Books). I love happy kids even more than I love cookies, I make lists as often as I eat lunch, and I love having every light in the house on almost as much as I love writing.